No. 7 Softball Falls Short Against No. 6 California, 2-1, In NCAA Super Regional Opener

Corvallis, OR – Freshman Gina Leomiti roped a one-out sixth inning RBI double down the left field line to lead No. 6 ranked University of California to a 2-1 victory over No. 7 ranked Oregon State in Friday’s NCAA Super Regional softball action.

The Golden Bears (48-12) need just one victory to advance to the Women’s College World Series for the eighth straight year, while Oregon State (41-14) must win two games on Saturday to earn the program’s first-ever WCWS berth.

Cal used a hit batter and a pair of singles to push a run across the plate in the opening inning and take the early advantage. Emily Friedman singled up the middle and Beaver shortstop collided with base-runner Lindsay James on the play, but the ball was deemed un-reachable and Alex Sutton scored from third to make it 1-0.

The Beavers answered when senior catcher lined her 34^th career home run over the left field fence to open the bottom half of the second inning and knot the score at 1-1.

From there, the projected pitcher’s dual between 2006 Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year Kristina Thorson (Cal) and 2005 Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year (OSU) heated up.

Both pitchers had six strikeouts over the first four innings as the offenses were held at bay.

Cal looked to threaten when the Bears got a pair of runners aboard with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, but Haley Woods lined out to in left field to end the frame and keep the game tied.

Back-to-back singles by Friedman and Katie Vickers in the top of the sixth broke McGowan’s streak of four straight innings without allowing a hit and set the stage for Leomiti’s game-winning double.

The heart of the Beaver order came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Thorson struck out the side to secure the victory for the Bears.

Thorson (36-8) finished with 12 strikeouts in the game and raised her total to 41 K’s in four appearances against Oregon State this season.

McGowan (27-7) tallied nine strikeouts for the Beavers in the complete game performance. Besides the home run from Allen, OSU’s only other hit was a bloop single by senior outfielder .

Saturday’s first-pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the OSU Softball Complex.

GAME RESULTS:

No. 6 California – 100 001 0 – 2 5 0
No. 7 Oregon State – 010 000 x – 1 2 2

McGowan and Allen (OSU), Thorson and Woods (CAL). Win – Thorson (36-8). Loss – McGowan (27-7). HR – Allen (OSU). 2B – Leomiti (CAL).